Ernesto “Tito” Mercado, a young 140-pound cannon, left no room for doubt at Owl's Nest in Houston, defeating Diner Berio to win the WBA North American Gold Super Lightweight Title. The TKO after the third round improved Mercado's record to 15-0, but Berrio was unable to show in the fourth round and clearly had enough.
Mercado, a 22-year-old strong man who has been trained by his seniors, never let up and pounded Berrio with relentless strikes. Berio retreated with a strategy more concerned with survival than fighting, but he offered little resistance and met a tragic end in a chair. Hungry for a serious challenge, Mercado has already set his sights on bigger prey, drafting players like Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz.
Mercado threw a flurry of punches that Berrio, who was considered older and wiser, could barely dodge. While Berio opted for a more “low-key” approach, Mercado was intent on making noise, cornering Berio with the tenacity of a hungry wolf. By the end of the third, Berio had had enough and chose the comfort of a stool over the intensity of Mercado's fists.
After the match, Mercado didn't mince words, hinting that Berrio was more interested in the game of tag than the actual match. But hey, he was trying to put on a show for his fans, right? Now, Mercado has his eyes set on the big leagues and is itching to play against players like Isaac Cruz. “Bring me,” he says.
Meanwhile, in the semi-main event, Carlos Jackson made Alexis Buster's night sour, forcing him to leave with a hand injury in order to conveniently escape Jackson's relentless attacks. The fight had its fair share of drama, with Jackson's low blow adding a spicy subplot, but in the end it was his power that clinched the deal.
Not to be outdone, Houston's Oscar Perez showed his mettle against Jeremiah Lewis-Watts, earning a unanimous decision despite a questionable knockdown and a hand injury. A local lad has proven he's not all about flash. He has the firepower to back it up.
Kicking off the main card, young phenom Adrian Serrano showed off his arsenal in a match against Luis Gerardo that was more of a test of resilience than anything else.
